Demetre Chiparus Ivory and Bronze Figure 'Shimmer' c.1925

Daisy Exclusive

Demetre Chiparus Ivory and Bronze Figure 'Shimmer' c.1925

A rare example of Art Deco’s most sought after sculptor. It is in exceptional condition , rising almost 24” tall sitting on a red mottled marble base.The carving of the ivory shows why his figures are in such demand.Only seeing it in person really lets one appreciate the beauty. Comes with Canadian entry papers from 1982 and 1988 evaluation.

An early 20th century hand carved jade Foo Dog, purchased in Hong Kong early 1930’s. Chinese guardian lions or Imperial guardian lion, traditionally known in Chinese simply as Shi meaning lion. Often called “Foo Dogs” in the West, they are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China. Lions were first presented to the Han court by emissaries from Central Asia and Persia, and by the sixth century AD they were already popularly depicted as guardian figures.

“Štursa was not influenced by Czech National Revival as the older sculptors but tried to find his own way. The female body was his frequent motif, for example in “Before taking bath”, 1906 [1] or “The Melancholy Girl”, 1906 [2]. A monumental couple of figures decorates the pylons of Hlávka Bridge in Prague. In addition to stone and bronze he also used plaster and wax. Later, he was influenced by cubism. Portrait painting was an important part of his works.”